Tampa students rally against ICE attacks on protesters

Tampa, FL – On Monday, March 31, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was joined by community members and fellow students to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, Leqaa Kordia, and every other student protester detained by ICE. Additional demands included an end to Trump’s attacks on students and an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

20 attendees came to support student protesters as attacks on them by the federal government ramp up. Florida organizers are no strangers to this, as the University of South Florida (USF) administration previously expelled Tampa Bay SDS from campus after the Gaza Solidarity Encampment last year, along with expelling SDS member Victoria Hinckley and suspending international student Joseph Charry. As Hinckley explained, “USF has been actively suppressing our right to free speech by not allowing any of our protest to take place without the threat of arrest and harassing our members when they are on campus!”

Students rallied outside USF campus on Fowler Avenue, protesting against the continued kidnapping and detainment of international students by ICE. Protesters have had their visas revoked because of “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States,” in complete disregard to their First Amendment rights.

Marco Rubio has tried justifying this repression saying, “This is clearly an organized movement. And if you are in this country on a student visa and are a participant in those movements, we have a right to deny your visa.” He claims around 300 students have had their visas revoked and threatened even more to come.

Speakers also talked about the current situation in Palestine and the recent end to the ceasefire coming from Israel. Protesters chanted “IOF, KKK, ICE, they’re all the same!” and said “Shame!” to the continuation of the killing of children, women, journalists, relief workers and other Palestinians by Israeli forces. As attacks on Gaza renew after the short-lived ceasefire, students are ready to take action to demand divestment from their universities.

SDS member Vicky Tong finished off the event, stating, “We’re going to continue standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine and keep demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel! Because we know that true power lies at the hands of the people and the students. Palestine will be free and the student movement will be victorious!”

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #AntiWarMovement